The Settlement of the Chesapeake

America’s First Colony Virginia – America’s First Colony

Reasons for English Colonization England wanted to establish an American colony to increase her wealth and power. By finding silver and gold in America By providing a source of raw materials Would open new markets for trade.

Why Settlers Came to Jamestown Jamestown was primarily an economic venture. The stockholders of the Virginia company of London financed the settlement of Jamestown.

Virginia Charters The King of England granted charters to the Virginia Company of London. A charter is a document issued by a government authority.

Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in north America in 1607.

Reasons for the Location of Jamestown The location could be easily defended from attack by sea by the Spanish. The water along the shore was deep enough for ships to dock. Believed to be a good supply of fresh water.

Chesapeake Bay

Importance of the Virginia Charters The charters gave the Virginia Company the right to establish a settlement in North America. The first charter of the Virginia Company of London established companies to begin colonies in the New World. The charters extended English rights to the colonists.

Jamestown Fort & Settlement (Computer Generated)

The Jamestown Nightmare 1606-1607  40 people died on the voyage to the New World. 1609  another ship from England lost its leaders and supplies in a shipwreck off Bermuda. Settlers died by the dozens! “Gentlemen” colonists would not work themselves. Game in forests & fish in river uncaught. Settlers wasted time looking for gold instead of hunting or farming.

Hardships Faced By Settlers The site they chose to live on was marshy and lacked safe drinking water. The settlers lacked some skills necessary to provide for themselves. Many settlers died of starvation and disease.

Captain John Smith: The Right Man for the Job?? Finally said you have to hunt and fish if you want to eat – was put in charge of the colony!

Changes That Ensured Survival The arrival of two supply ships. The forced work program and strong leadership of Captain John Smith The emphasis on self-sustaining agriculture ensured survival of the colony.

High Mortality Rates The “Starving Time”: 1607: 104 colonists By spring, 1608: 38 survived 1609: 300 more immigrants By spring, 1610: 60 survived 1610 – 1624: 10,000 immigrants 1624 population: 1,200 Adult life expectancy: 40 years Death of children before age 5: 80%

“Widowarchy” High mortality among husbands and fathers left many women in the Chesapeake colonies with unusual autonomy and wealth!

Jamestown Housing

Social/Economic PROBLEMS??? River Settlement Pattern that Took Hold in Virginia and the Rest of the Southern Colonies Large plantations [>100 acres]. Widely spread apart [>5 miles]. Social/Economic PROBLEMS???

Jamestown Colonization Pattern: 1620-1660

Chief Powhatan Powhatan Confederacy Father of Pocahantas Powhatan Confederacy Powhatan dominated a few dozen small tribes in the James River area when the English arrived. The English called all Indians in the area Powhatans. Powhatan probably saw the English as allies in his struggles to control other Indian tribes in the region.

Powhatan Confederacy

Powhatan Indian Village

Culture Clash in the Chesapeake Relations between Indians & settlers grew worse. General mistrust because of different cultures & languages. English raided Indian food supplies during the starving times. 1610-1614  First Anglo-Powhatan War De La Warr had orders to make war on the Indians. Raided villages, burned houses, took supplies, burned cornfields.

Culture Clash in the Chesapeake 1614-1622 peace between Powhatans and the English. 1614 peace sealed by the marriage of Pocahontas to Englishman John Rolfe. 1622-1644  periodic attacks between Indians and settlers. 1622  Indians attacked the English, killing 347 [including John Rolfe]. Virginia Co. called for a “perpetual war” against the Native Americans. Raids reduced native population and drove them further westward.

Powhatan Uprising of 1622

Culture Clash in the Chesapeake 1644-1646  Second Anglo-Powhatan War Last effort of natives to defeat English. Indians defeated again. Peace Treaty of 1646 Removed the Powhatans from their original land. Formally separated Indian and English settlement areas!

What finally made the colony prosperous?? John Rolfe What finally made the colony prosperous??

Virginia’s gold and silver. -- John Rolfe, 1612 Tobacco Plant Virginia’s gold and silver. -- John Rolfe, 1612

Early Colonial Tobacco 1618 — Virginia produces 20,000 pounds of tobacco. 1622 — Despite losing nearly one-third of its colonists in an Indian attack, Virginia produces 60,000 pounds of tobacco. 1627 — Virginia produces 500,000 pounds of tobacco. 1629 — Virginia produces 1,500,000 pounds of tobacco.

Why did tobacco prices decline so precipitously?

Indentured Servitude Headright System: Indenture Contract: Each Virginian got 50 acres for each person whose passage they paid. Indenture Contract: 5-7 years. Promised “freedom dues” [land, £] Forbidden to marry. 1610-1614: only 1 in 10 outlived their indentured contracts!

Indentured Servitude Headright System Indentured Contract, 1746

Virginia: “Child of Tobacco” Tobacco’s effect on Virginia’s economy: Vital role in putting VA on a firm economic footing. Ruinous to soil when continuously planted. Chained VA’s economy to a single crop. Tobacco promoted the use of the plantation system. Need for cheap, abundant labor.

Why was 1619 a pivotal year for the Chesapeake settlement?

Virginia House of Burgesses

Growing Political Power The House of Burgesses established in 1619 & began to assume the role of the House of Commons in England Control over finances, militia, etc. By the end of the 17c, H of B was able to initiate legislation. A Council appointed by royal governor Mainly leading planters. Functions like House of Lords. High death rates ensured rapid turnover of members.

Virginia Becomes a Royal Colony James I grew hostile to Virginia He hated tobacco. He distrusted the House of Burgesses which he called a seminary of sedition. 1624  he revoked the charter of the bankrupt VA Company. Thus, VA became a royal colony, under the king’s direct control!

English Tobacco Label First Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619. Their status was not clear  perhaps slaves, perhaps indentured servants. Slavery not that important until the end of the 17c.

The Atlantic Slave Trade

The “Middle Passage”

Colonial Slavery As the number of slaves increased, white colonists reacted to put down perceived racial threat. Slavery transformed from economic to economic and racial institution. Early 1600s  differences between slave and servant were unclear. By the mid-1680s, black slaves outnumbered white indentured servants.

Colonial Slavery Beginning in 1662  “Slave Codes” Made blacks [and their children] property, or chattel for life of white masters. In some colonies, it was a crime to teach a slave to read or write. Conversion to Christianity did not qualify the slave for freedom.

Frustrated Freemen Late 1600s  large numbers of young, poor, discontented men in the Chesapeake area. Little access to land or women for marriage. 1670  The Virginia Assembly disenfranchised most landless men!

Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676 Led 1,000 Virginians in a rebellion against Governor Berkeley Rebels resented Berkeley’s close relations with Indians. Berkeley monopolized the fur trade with the Indians in the area. Berkley refused to retaliate for Indian attacks on frontier settlements. Nathaniel Bacon Governor William Berkeley

Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676

Bacon’s Rebellion Rebels attacked Indians, whether they were friendly or not to whites. Governor Berkeley driven from Jamestown. They burned the capital. Rebels went on a rampage of plundering. Bacon suddenly died of fever. Berkeley brutally crushed the rebellion and hanged 20 rebels.

Results of Bacon’s Rebellion It exposed resentments between inland frontiersmen and landless former servants against gentry on coastal plantations. Socio-economic class differences/clashes between rural and urban communities would continue throughout American history. Upper class planters searched for laborers less likely to rebel  BLACK SLAVES!!

Maryland

The Settlement of Maryland A royal charter was granted to George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, in 1632. A proprietary colony created in 1634. A healthier location than Jamestown. Tobacco would be the main crop. His plan was to govern as an absentee proprietor in a feudal relationship. Huge tracts of land granted to his Catholic relatives.

Colonization of Maryland

St Mary’s City (1634)

Currency in Early Maryland

A Haven for Catholics Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 Baltimore permitted high degree of freedom of worship in order to prevent repeat of persecution of Catholics by Protestants. High number of Protestants threatened because of overwhelming rights given to Catholics. Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 Supported by the Catholics in MD. Guaranteed toleration to all CHRISTIANS. Decreed death to those who denied the divinity of Jesus [like Jews, atheists, etc.]. In one way, it was less tolerant than before the law was passed!!

A Haven for Catholics Colonists only willing to come to MD if they received land. Colonists who did come received modest farms dispersed around the Chesapeake area. Catholic land barons surrounded by mostly Protestant small farmers. Conflict between barons and farmers led to Baltimore losing proprietary rights at the end of the 17c. In the late 1600s, black slaves began to be imported.